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In this episode of the LSTM in Conversation podcast, Dr. Tom Wingfield sits down with Fatima Karmadwala, a multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) survivor and passionate advocate for person-centred care.

Fatima shares her deeply personal journey of navigating the UK healthcare system, enduring a four-month delay in diagnosis. Her story highlights a critical challenge: in low-incidence settings like the UK, TB symptoms can be difficult to recognise, sometimes leading to profound isolation and stigma when patients finally enter care. She recounts the fear and anxiety of being treated as a "walking disease" in an NHS hospital room, detailing experiences where medical professionals avoided her and left her meals on a clinical waste bin.

However, Fatima’s story is also one of incredible resilience. After transferring her care to Liverpool, she experienced the transformative impact of empathy, respect, and truly person-centred care from her medical team. Together, Dr. Wingfield and Fatima discuss why ending TB requires us to look beyond just the clinical science to address the deep social, economic, and psychological realities of the disease.

Released ahead of World TB Day on March 24, 2026, this episode is a reminder that TB cases are rising in England, and caring for those affected goes far beyond pills and tests.

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In this episode of LSTM In Conversation, Professor Russell Stothard speaks with PhD candidate Ayesha Bell-Gamwoto about female genital schistosomiasis (FGS), a neglected disease with serious consequences for women’s sexual and reproductive health.

Drawing on Ayesha’s research in Liberia, they explore the realities of conducting surveillance in post-conflict settings, the links between FGS, infertility, HIV risk, and cervical cancer, and why gender-responsive, context-appropriate health systems are essential. The conversation also highlights how locally led research can inform national policy and help close long-standing gaps in women’s healthcare.

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In this episode of In Conversation with LSTM, alumnus Dr Motto Nganda is joined by Ayo Akinmolayan, who brings lived experience of sickle cell disease, and Evelyn Matongo, a psychologist leading participatory research in Zambia, to explore what truly person-centred sickle cell care looks like in practice.

They discuss the physical, emotional, and social realities of living with sickle cell disease, the importance of mental health and psychosocial support, and how lived experience should shape both research and health systems. The conversation also highlights how participatory approaches are bringing patients, caregivers, communities, and clinicians together to address stigma, improve care, and co-create locally relevant solutions across sub-Saharan Africa and beyond.

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In this episode of LSTM in Conversation, host Dr Kerry Millington, Senior Research & Policy Associate at LSTM and working as a Research Uptake Manager on the LIGHT research programme, speaks with Dr Jasper Nidoi and Dr Chukwuebuka Ugwu, early career researchers at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, about their work on the LIGHT Research Programme, a UK AID–funded initiative tackling gender and social barriers to tuberculosis (TB) care in Africa.

From Uganda to Nigeria, Jasper and Ebuka share insights from their doctoral studies on developing gender-responsive and community-led approaches to TB diagnosis and treatment, highlighting why men are often “missing” from TB services and how co-designed, people-centred interventions are changing that.

Later in the episode, LSTM alumnus Dr Mohammed Yassin, Senior Advisor on Tuberculosis at The Global Fund, joins the discussion to reflect on the importance of mentoring early career researchers, building equitable partnerships, and translating evidence into policy to accelerate progress towards ending TB.

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In this episode of LSTM In Conversation, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine and Professor of Molecular Virology Professor Jonathan Ball sits down with LSTM alumnus Professor Kevin Marsh, a world-renowned malariologist whose career has helped shape the scientific landscape across Africa.

Professor Marsh reflects on his early inspiration to study malaria while at LSTM, the mentors who guided him, and his journey in establishing the KEMRI–Wellcome Trust Research Programme and co-founding the Science for Africa Foundation. Together, they explore lessons in scientific leadership, the importance of co-creation and long-term investment in locally led research, and the future of global health in the context of climate change, epidemic preparedness, and emerging malaria vaccines.

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In this episode of LSTM In Conversation, Dr Laura Dean speaks with alumnus Dr Ifeanyi Nsofor, public health physician, behavioral science researcher, and global health equity advocate. Together, they explore Dr Nsofor’s journey from aspiring surgeon to championing preventive health, his experiences tackling misinformation during the Ebola response, and the power of technology and social media in shaping health narratives today.

The discussion highlights the importance of breaking down scientific evidence for communities, amplifying voices from the Global South, and rethinking global health leadership to ensure equity and accountability. Dr Nsofor also reflects on his time at LSTM, the lessons that shaped his career, and the pressing steps needed to achieve health equity in the next decade.

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In this episode of LSTM In Conversation, Professor Sally Theobald reconnects with LSTM alumna Dr. Bertha Simwaka, now Senior Fund Portfolio Manager for Zambia at the Global Fund. Together, they explore Bertha’s career journey from her PhD at LSTM, embedded in Malawi’s health systems, to leading multi-million dollar HIV, TB, and malaria programmes across Zambia and India.

Bertha shares her reflections on the importance of gender equity, multidisciplinary approaches, and the role of community health in strengthening national systems. She offers practical insights into navigating leadership in global health, balancing international responsibilities with personal commitments, and ensuring health programmes are both impactful and sustainable.

This inspiring conversation also includes advice for early-career professionals on embracing collaboration, valuing local expertise, and building careers that drive real-world change.

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In this bonus episode of LSTM In Conversation, writer Frank Cottrell-Boyce reflects on adapting The Railway Man and sharing the powerful story of FEPOW survivor Eric Lomax. He explores the challenges of portraying trauma, the complexity of forgiveness, and the importance of remembering untold histories.